South Africa is working to expedite the realisation of Sustainable Development Goal 6 by 2030, paying special attention to the needs of women, girls, and people in vulnerable situations, said Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister, Judith Tshabalala.
In line with the country’s Constitution, South Africa has developed the National Sanitation Policy that endorses the national sanitation targets, as outlined in the National Development Plan (NDP) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, aims to achieve universal access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all by 2030, and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.
Tshabalala, together with African Ministers of Water and Sanitation from Egypt, Prof Dr Hani Sewilam and Carl Hermann Schlewein, participated at the Africa Focus Session held during World Water Week Conference in Stockholm, Sweden.
The Africa Focus Session aimed at fostering partnerships for translating water and sanitation commitments into tangible improvements in the lives of all in Africa and beyond.
The outcomes of deliberations will inform ongoing efforts to accelerate the achievement of water and sanitation goals in Africa.
Tshabalala said the department manages water resources in a balanced approach to ensure their sustainability and economic growth in the country.
“Our water resources determine how South Africa experience and respond to climate change. The climate challenge has brought innovative approaches to water services, such as looking at water infrastructure and sources from a multiple water-use perspective.
“The recent water shortages attributed to climate change, saw innovation through partnerships and the use of technology to optimise the use of available water resources and access to new water sources.”
The discussions around Africa Focus Day will foster alliances that transcend beyond borders and also map a trajectory toward a future where sanitation and hygiene are universally attainable, regardless of socioeconomic standing or geographical location.
The resolutions will be endorsed and adopted by the African Union and African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW), as a Ministerial council that engages on all initiatives that will take Africa’s water sector forward, reaffirming the departmental mantra that says “Sanitation is Dignity”.
The Deputy Minister led a South African delegation to the conference, hosted by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI).
The conference, which ended on Thursday, focused on innovation, particularly at a time of unprecedented challenges facing water security around the world.
The 2023 annual gathering of the World Water Week happened when Africa is at its highest, in rolling out the Africa Investments Programme (AIP), which is led by the International High Panel on Water Investment, comprised of sitting Head of States, UN entities and African Union entities. – SAnews.gov.za
